Canadian caribou, anyone?

March, 2010

Caribou! The absolute symbol of the north. Life for native peoples around the Arctic is and always has been tied to the annual migrations of this member of the deer family. The sub species found here in Yellowknife is particularly handsome, wouldn't you agree?
Winter temperatures can be brutal in these parts, but caribou are magnificently adapted for life in the frozen north.
Able to run at speeds approaching 50 mph caribou are fleet and swift, even in deep snow or on slippery ice, as shown here when crossing the ice road.
With nothing to eat on these frozen lakes, the caribou gather in an open place where the approach of predators (like hunters or wolves) can easily be seen and avoided.
At the first sign of danger (me) these caribou are off to the races!
Whether coming or going, caribou are a beautiful animal indeed!